While Japanese knotweed is always first to grab the negative headlines when it comes to destructive garden weeds, the last month has seen a rise in cases of its often-overlooked offspring, Bohemian knotweed.

Despite being less famous than its Asian counterpart, Bohemian knotweed can be just as destructive, if not more so.

To spare your home life from this monstrosity, here’s a quick overview to help keep your property free of this horticultural horror.

What is Bohemian Knotweed?

Also known as Hybrid knotweed, the Bohemian version is the result of cross-fertilisation between Japanese knotweed and giant knotweed.

Much like the Japanese and giant varieties, Bohemian knotweed spreads rapidly through its rhizome network, with the ability to cause untold damage to buildings and residential properties.

As such, it’s important to catch it early and begin treatment as soon as its presence is detected.

Any Way the Wind Blows

While it may be lesser-known than its infamous parents, Dr Peter Fitzsimons of the PCA’s Invasive Weed Control Group notes that hybrid plants can be even more harmful than the parent plant.

Bohemian knotweed is no exception to this rule and has the potential to be a cause for concern.

“In other parts of the world where Hybrid knotweed is more common, they are seeing signs of fertile seed production,” says Fitzsimons. “The existence of seed-producing hybrid knotweeds may enable these plants to spread even more rapidly.”

Another One Bites the Dust

Much like Japanese knotweed and giant knotweed, Bohemian knotweed is listed under Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

While it can be disruptive around buildings and potentially have a negative effect on mortgages and house price, it can be controlled using established techniques and processes.

At Taylor Weed Control, we specialise in weed removal and have over 15 years of industry experience. No job is too big for our team of trained weed removal specialists!

If you believe you have a knotweed problem on your property, don’t wait until it’s too late. Call Taylor Weed Control now and untangle your knotweed problem today.

For more information on knotweed removal services or to request a FREE survey, call now on 029 2039 7554 or click the button below to get in touch online.

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Okay, right off the bat let’s start by saying that there’s never a “good time” to find Japanese knotweed on your property.

A major pest of Mother Nature, this vexatious vine can wreak havoc on your homestead and cause serious structural damage from beneath the surface.

That being said, there are better times than others when it comes to treating it and keeping it under control. This blog aims to help you with just that.

So, clear your diary and save the date: it’s time to vine and dine with Japanese knotweed.

Treating Japanese Knotweed Organically

Japanese knotweed can spread through your garden like a campus cold during Freshers week. As such, quite literally nipping it in the bud can save you untold headaches down the line.

That being said, like most garden activities, there are certain times of the year that are better than others when it comes to ensuring the most effective treatment.

If you’re looking to go the non-chemical route, there are a variety of options and techniques you could explore. Here are a few suggestions along with the best times to go about it.

Pulling/Digging

For smaller populations that are new to your property and not yet made themselves at home, hand removal is a viable option during the growing season.

Break up the soil around the rhizome with a fork or shovel and haul that weed out of its freshly loosened liar.

Smothering

Smothering is a better option for larger patches of knotweed that are more well-established; however, it’s by no means a quick-fix. In fact, this technique can literally take years to achieve the desired effect.

Cut the stems as low as possible and cover with heavy-duty black plastic. If the resulting aesthetic is unsightly, cover with a further layer of mulch to mask the plastic’s appearance.

This route is most effective when implemented during the early summertime. During this period, the surrounding plants will be at the height of their growth, exhausting some of the rhizome’s reserves.

Treating Japanese Knotweed with Herbicides

If the softly, softly approach isn’t working and you’re looking for a less subtle way of banishing your knotweed nightmares from whence they came, herbicides provide the heavy artillery.

Japanese knotweed controls its nutrients in line with the seasons: during the spring and early summer, it channels its nutrients upward from the roots to the shoots, while it does the opposite during the late summer and autumn in preparation for winter.

For the best results, it’s wise to apply your herbicide at the end of the summer prior to the wintry weather kicking in, taking advantage of the natural downward flow of the plant's nutrients.

Professional Japanese Knotweed Treatment

Regardless of which option you choose, Japanese knotweed is a formidable foe and one that shouldn’t be taken lightly.

If you really are serious about giving ridding your property of knotweed in an effective manner that limits the possibility of a return, it’s wise to consider calling in the professionals.

At Taylor Weed Control, we specialise in Japanese knotweed removal and offer a wide range of services to ensure your weedy woes are stopped dead in their tracks.

With over 15 years’ experience, we’ve seen it all and lived to tell the tale – the same can’t be said for the knotweed we’ve met along the way.

For further details on the best time to control Japanese knotweed or more information on our Japanese knotweed removal services, why not get in touch today? Call now on 029 2039 7554 or click the button below to request a FREE weed removal survey.

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There are many laws and legislations in the UK surrounding Japanese knotweed and its management, reporting, and treatment. For your own wellbeing and of those around you, it’s best to have a firm understanding of these laws – especially if you already have a knotweed presence on your property!

Can you get in trouble with the law if you have Japanese knotweed in your garden?

No - it is not against the law to have Japanese knotweed on your property, and you are not obliged to remove the plant if you don't wish to. However, under the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981, you MUST NOT allow Japanese knotweed to spread into the wild. If you break this law, you may be fined up to £5,000 or even be imprisoned for up to 2 years.

Also, if there is Japanese knotweed on your property, it is your responsibility to make sure that it doesn't encroach on any neighbouring properties. Your neighbour can take legal action if they have reason to believe that you have allowed this to happen. (For more information, see What to Do If Your Neighbour Has Japanese Knotweed.)

Therefore, if you do notice Japanese knotweed is growing on your property, it is important that you put a proper treatment plan in place.

SEE ALSO: Do I Have to Report Japanese Knotweed?

Japanese Knotweed Treatment

The most effective way to treat Japanese knotweed involves the use of pesticides. If you choose this treatment method, you are bound by The Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986 to ensure that all the necessary precautions are taken to protect other human beings, animals and plant life.

No specific qualifications are required to treat Japanese knotweed on your own property; however, applying pesticides correctly can be quite difficult for a gardening novice. If the Japanese knotweed is in a high-traffic family garden or close to an open water source, it can be hard to gauge how much pesticide you can safely use.

Here at Taylor Total Weed Control, we always recommend leaving Japanese knotweed removal to the professionals. We have been dealing with this invasive plant for years, so we know how to get the job done quickly and efficiently without damaging the surrounding environment.

There are Japanese knotweed laws in place to make sure that people treating knotweed commercially have the necessary Japanese knotweed eradication certificate. Companies offering a professional knotweed removal service must be certified to use, supply and store the specialist agricultural pesticides required for effective treatment. Operatives must also be properly trained in the application of these pesticides.

If a knotweed removal company employs an individual who doesn't have the proper Japanese knotweed qualifications, that person can be supervised by a more senior member of staff (someone who does have their Japanese knotweed eradication certificate). The conditions of this require that they must remain in view and be able to hear their supervisor's instructions at all times.

Our Japanese Knotweed Qualifications

As one of the leading Japanese knotweed removal companies in South Wales, we hold a number of industry-recognised accreditations. All of our invasive species specialists are properly trained and fully qualified to deal with your knotweed while following the law.

Contact us to arrange a Japanese knotweed survey >

When it comes to gardening chores, pulling up weeds can be like pulling teeth: it’s a painful process that nobody wants to go through but is often a necessary evil that’s a means to an end.

However, like pulling teeth, doing so yourself is probably not the smartest way to go about it. Not only can it be risky but it can also result in further complications down the line.

In order to ensure you get the job done well first time, the best bet is to call in the experts. Luckily, your friendly neighbourhood weed whackers here at TWC have you covered... for weeds that is, not teeth pulling.

But there’s a lot more to de-weeding a garden than simply yanking up unsightly plants from the roots. Like any self-respecting professional, lawn care experts will also need a license to do so.

Law of the Land

In order to professionally administer weed killer, lawncare specialists must come equipped with a relevant weed killer license that permits them to do so – and with good reason.

The chemicals used can not only be harmful to the untrained but also to the environment if used incorrectly. To avoid harm to yourself, your garden or others, it’s important that whoever that your garden expert of choice is a fully licensed pro.

While you are free to use over the counter weed killer products on your own domestic land, commercial weed killing services can no longer be supplied without the relevant qualifications, following the introduction of new laws in 2015.

This is great news for prideful professionals, as it weeds out the industry cowboys; however, it’s also good news for you, the consumer. Stricter training regulations mean you get a better service and more professional treatment of your lawn if you do turn to an expert for a helping hand.

Weed Out the Competition

So, just what do you need to look out for when identifying if your chosen pro is licensed to use weed killer?

The specific qualifications your pro will need to have are in particular are the PA1 and PA6 qualifications. These are commonly known collectively as the NPTC Level 2 Award in the Safe Use of Pesticides.

In order to pass as a fully-qualified weed removal expert, your chosen expert will need to have both PA1 and PA6 certification in order to qualify as a horticultural hitman of weeds. One or the other won’t suffice, so be sure they have both sides of the equation covered.

The PA1 represents the theory side of the course – including health and safety requirements, product knowledge and legislation – while the PA6 covers the all-important practical side, providing first-hand experience of manual handling and safe pesticide use.

Once completed, the course provides a lifetime qualification for safe use of pesticides in public places. As a life-long license, there is no expiry to this certification (barring any drastic changes in regulations or chemical usage).

Grandfather Rights

To muddy up the process even further, you may stumble across the term “grandfather rights”. This is in reference to a legal loophole that allows those born before 1965 to use professional crop protection without a weed killer license.

However, since the updated laws came into effect, this loophole is no longer valid and the term has now run its course. If your lawncare professional does try to pull a fast one using the “grandfather” card, don’t be afraid to lay down the law and give them what for.

Additional Paperwork

In addition to a valid weed killer license, it’s also worth checking your lawn care professional is covered with the relevant Public Liability Insurance.

PLI covers the service provider for your compensation, should something go awry with the treatment and you need to make a claim (such as personal injury or property damage).

While this may not seem like your concern as a consumer, it’s good to know that your lawn care professional is capable of paying up should worse come to worst.

Good to Know

While often used interchangeably, there is actually a notable difference between the “pesticides” and “herbicides”. Luckily, the name tags of each provide a not-so-subtle clue as to which one is which.

Pesticides are chemicals used to control harmful insects that can destroy flowers and other vegetation. Herbicides, on the other hand, are chemicals used to treat weeds that can negatively affect and hinder the growth of vegetation. Despite the difference between the two, both are covered under the PA1 and PA6 license.

If you do decide to use weed killer on your own garden, be careful when ordering products online as some professional-grade weed killer products found online requires an equally professional applicators license. To avoid any issues, be sure to double-check before you hit the “order” button.

For safe, secure and certified weed killing services, Taylor Weed Control offers all that and then some. Our fully-licensed weed killing services are both effective and affordable, guaranteed to save your garden from any weedy worries you may have.

For more information on our lawncare and weed killing services from Taylor Weed Control, why not drop us a line today on 029 2039 7554 or click the button below to request a FREE survey.

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